Counting craters in Mars’s ancient highlands

In this new image ESA’s Mars Express visits the highlands of Mars, exploring the innumerable craters peppering this ancient part of the Red Planet. Part of the particularly prominent Trouvelot Crater can be seen to the bottom-right.

We've added labels to highlight features and regions of note. Be sure to click on these labels to explore the landscape in detail!

This image comprises data gathered by Mars Express’s High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on 12 October 2024 (orbit 26233). It was created using data from the nadir channel, the field of view aligned perpendicular to the surface of Mars, and the colour channels of the HRSC. North is to the right. The ground resolution of the original image is approximately 18 m/pixel and the image is centred at about 15°N/255°E.

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[Image description: A high‑resolution overhead view of a rocky, desert‑like landscape on Mars. The surface is mostly reddish‑brown with patches of darker blue‑grey tones. Many circular impact craters of different sizes are scattered across the scene, some with raised rims and shadowed interiors. Subtle ridges, eroded valleys, and textured terrain patterns run diagonally through the image, giving a sense of ancient geological activity. The overall impression is of a dry, rugged, and heavily cratered Martian surface.]